Tension and allegations of bias overshadow looming presidential runoff vote in Guinea

Tension overshadows looming Guinea election

CONAKRY, Guinea — A spokesman for Guinea’s leading presidential candidate says the newly installed head of the country’s electoral commission is biased in favor of the opposing candidate.

Lounceny Camara was chosen to head the National Independent Electoral Commission after the commission’s former president, Ben Sekou Sylla, died after a long illness in September.

While party leaders for presidential candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo are pleased the date for the election has been set for Oct. 24, they accuse Camara of theft and fraud in a statement issued Wednesday. Party officials have threatened to boycott the elections if Camara remains in office.

The election could be the country’s first free and fair vote since independence from France in 1958.